Dust: An Elysian Tail is a multi-platform video game developed by Humble Hearts LLC. The Xbox 360 version was released on August 15, 2012, while the PC version appeared in the latter half of May 2013.
At first glance, it seems that Dust: An Elysian Tail is an ordinary, albeit very beautiful, arcade run-around, but that's not the case. Dust: An Elysian Tail is a dynamic action game with RPG elements, resembling a true slasher. The protagonist spends most of the game time slashing, cutting, maiming, and annihilating hordes of diverse enemies, performing incredibly complex pirouettes, executing spectacular combo attacks and strikes, making deadly jumps, and so on. The protagonist is Dust, an anthropomorphic being wrapped in a turquoise cloak. The game begins with Dust waking up in a remote forest, not understanding who he is or what he is. Such a harsh thing, this amnesia. The hero remembers nothing but wishes to figure out what is happening. As a result, he embarks on a perilous journey, armed with a talking sword and supported by a small flying fox.
As mentioned above, almost everything in Dust: An Elysian Tail revolves around combat. Enemies attack in droves, literally overwhelming the hero with their bodies, but Dust counters them with unimaginable ease – the skills acquired somewhere at some time come into play. The combat system in Dust: An Elysian Tail is quite simple – all basic combat strikes are delivered by pressing one or two buttons. There are also special attacks that allow the protagonist to deal even more brutal blows to foes. Dust can perform cunning dodges, slice foes in mid-jump, set blocks, and counterattack, swinging his sword like a windmill in a storm – the list goes on. The fox following Dust is also no slouch – it mysteriously knows how to shoot and expertly casts fireballs. Moreover, during battles, the flying fox can enhance its master’s strikes. If Dust swings his weapon overhead while his accomplice opens fire 'from all barrels,' the number of projectiles flying at the monsters increases dramatically, resulting in predictably dire consequences for them.
Dust: An Elysian Tail consists of a certain number of levels, many of which do not unlock immediately and become available only as the story progresses. Additionally, previously unlocked locations can be revisited if needed to complete side quests, reach points on the map that were previously closed off, or find chests with 'delicious' loot. In simple terms, there’s plenty of running around in Dust: An Elysian Tail. However, there’s also plenty of everything else. The game features a character development system, crafting, and additional quests. The graphics in Dust: An Elysian Tail are truly charming – akin to a good Disney cartoon. The musical score is also top-notch. What else is needed for happiness?